1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to material storage, handling and shipping art, and specifically relates to fixtures for removable installation in intermodal cargo containers and other storage facilities for supporting and compartmentalizing a wide variety of articles.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Various types of fixtures have been utilized in containers for hanging and shipping various articles as shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,793,035 and 2,262,085. Cargo bracing fixtures have also been employed in freight vehicles for storage of articles as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 2,354,861.
Compartmentalization of movable containers to store and ship articles is illustrated in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,466,728; and 2,467,681 which are illustrative only. Load bracing fixtures for vehicles as well as storage facilities are illustrated in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,977,899; 3,051,099 and 3,115,102. Fixtures for bracing panels in a structural support is illustrated in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,174,592; 3,306,465; 3,352,595, among others. Hanger bars for shipping garments are also well known as illustrated in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,773,184; 3,800,960; 3,836,174; 4,033,268, among others. Shipping bulkheads are also the subject of numerous patents including U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,080,906; 4,094,546 and 4,281,870.
The compartmentalization of areas of a shipping container and multi-deck separation to carry non-stackable cargo for attaining maximum cargo loadability, storage and shipment in a flexible system whether for skid or pallet mounted cargo has not been utilized optimally in view of the paucity of fixtures capable of ease of installation and removal within a cargo container of the type used for container vehicles or dry vans.
The ease or difficulty of installing fixtures within existing container units without major modifications to the structure has been prohibitively costly for multiple use container units to obtain maximum utilization. Permanently installing fixtures for various types, weights and loads of cargo leads to difficulties particularly when overseas shipments are made to derive maximum revenue for the particular containerized unit which may necessitate one type of compartmentalization for one-way shipment of certain articles and disassembly of the entire interior of the containerized unit for return shipment of entirely different cargo without disposing of the fixtures which may be reused readily for a multitude of other configurations within a containerized unit depending upon the size, weight and distribution of the particular articles.
Additionally, many different types of articles may be used within a container utilizing the fixtures of the present invention in which the compartmentalized areas may be at different levels to accommodate a wide variety and assortment of articles with maximum ease of installation and disassembly.